Not Your Average IV User Episode 8 - Michael Valetine

While the opioid epidemic is the most invasive risk to life our nation faces today, it's not the first time we have seen the country pull its resources to navigate a drug problem.  In the 1980's crack cocaine ravaged communities in a similar fashion to opiates, and we saw a major response. We militarized the police. We created mandatory minimum sentencing. We built prisons.  The opioid epidemic saw a very different strategy employed to try to combat the issue. The federal government passed the affordable healthcare act (Thanks Obama). States adopted Medicaid expansion. Treatment center opened and expanded. Courts started mandating medical interventions to address substance use disorders.  While it's nice to think that this more humanized approach to combating opiates is because we learned from our mistakes, it's important to acknowledge and examine that the crack epidemic largely effected urban, black communities and opioids largely impacted suburban, white communities.  In the biz, we call this a disparity.  In Ep. 008, Michael opens up about his experience in the streets, the under-representation of the black community in treatment centers and recovery, and how he was ultimately able to wrap his head around the idea that there were people outside his circle who had his best interest in mind regarding his long term sobriety.  Not Your Average IV User is discoverable on Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can help us out by telling all the people you love that this project exists.